St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-13
new JUDGES APPOINTED.
Judge Collins Named by Gov. McGill to
Succeed Judge Berry
ON THE SUPREME BENCH,
D. B. Searle Succeeds Judge Collins as
Judge in the Seventh judicial 4
District.


were made by Gov. McGill last evening,
one, that of Judge Collins, of st. Cloud,
| to fill the vacancy on the bench of the
| supreme court created by the death of
| Justice Berry, and the other, that of
| Hon. d. B. Searle, one of st. Clouds
most distinguished attorneys, to the
| judgeship of the Seventh judicial dis
| trict, made vacant by the elevation of
| Judge Collins to the supreme bench.
| The reason of the appointment being
| made so early was because there seemed
| to be general sentiment throughout
the state that such an appointment was
a necessity. The causes which led to
the selection of Judge Collins, rather
than any one of the other candi-
dates mentioned, it is given out,
were the fact that the senti-
ment of the state outside of the
Twin Cities" and of not few of the
| neapOliS favored his appointment, on
the ground that it would be more salts
| factory to the state at large than would
the appointment of any one of the st.
Paul or Minneapolis candidates. Those
prominently mentioned in this connec-
| ton were Judges Wilkin and Flandrau,
| of st. Paul; Young and LOchren, of
Minneapolis, and Stearns of Duluth.
| Judge StearnS positively refused to be
| considered candidate and heartily in
| dOrsed Judge Collins for the position.
Besides this, Judge Collins was unan-
| imously Endorsed by the bar of this dis
| trict, by large number of attorneys
throughout the state and by portion
of the Twin City" bar.
All day yesterday the Merchants
Inh hx- nh innl
| heavy-weightS as Farmer c. A. Gilman,
ex-United States Attorney Searle and
exGOY. Barto, all of the Fifth district,
and when towards evening it was Slyly
| intimated that
JUDGE COLLINS WOULD ARRIVE
at $3.50, it was known that the ap-
| pointment was decided upon. On the
| arrival of the judge he, accompanied by
| Hon. w. b. Searle, at once proceeded to
| the governors 70 ON, where short con-
| ference was held. On being rendered
the place on the supreme bench; Judge
| Collins at once resigned the judeship of
the Seventh district, which was then
| rendered to Mr.. Searle, without per-
sonaI solicitation on his part and be-
cause he was Endorsed by the entire
| bar of the district. ''Mr. Searle was
practically the unanimous choice of the
district" said the governor to GLOBE
| reporter. Both appOinteeS are men of
| high character and ability, and num-
| Der of the prominent attorneys of the
city expressed the opinion that the ap-
pOintmentS were both acceptable and.
| indeed, popular; and that altogether
| the governor had gone way beyond his
| former record in making these appoint
| men is.
Judge l.. W. Collins was born in
! Lowell, Mass, in 1888, and is ebnSe-
quently in his fiftieth year. In 1854 his
| parents removed to the then territOryOf
Minnesota, settling in Hennepin county.
Minneapolis at that time had but two or
| three log hutS and did not look especially
attractive to the industrious mind Ufthe
elder Collins. The present judgefearly
| inclined toward the law and studied with
the firm of Smith & Crosby, at
Hastings, and commenced the practice
| of his profession at st. Cloud in 1866. In
| 1862 he enlisted in the Seventh Minne-
sofa regiment, and served the full three
| years with distinction. He came out
| first lieutenant and breyet captain.a Not
long after he began the practice of law
at st. Cloud, he was
ELECTED DISTRICT ATTORNEY,
| which position he held fOr eight years,
being elected four times in spite of the
| fact that Stearns county was strongly
Democratic, while Collins was an ardent
Republican. He was member of the
house of representatives in 1881 and
again in 1888, and would undoubtedly
have been chosen speaker of the house
in 1885 had he not accepted the appoint
| ment of judge in the Seventh district to
succeed Judge McKelvey. This posi-
ton he held from April. 1888, until last
evening. Judge Collins is considered
| very able in jury cases, and had very
large law practice. He is practical,
| cOmmOn-Sense kind of man, and has
| sharp. incisive mind, well fitted and
we'll qualified to grapple with the most
difficult problems of the law. He is
married and has family, and says he
will not leave st. Cloud and the beauti-
| full home he has there, but will retain it
| as his residence. Justice Collins will
return to the city early this week to
| prepare to enter upon his duties.
| MIR. SEARLE'S RECORD. rs
The other appOintee, Hon. d. B.
| Searle, of ST.. CLOUD, was born in New
| York in 1S47, and so is still compare
| lively young man. He obtained good
| common school education and gradu-
| ated from the law school of the Column
bian university, Washington, d. G.. He
| came to Minnesota in 1861 and began
| the practice OF law with Judge T.. y.
| Hamlin, of st. Cloud. In the fall of
| 1873, when Judge Hamlin left the state,
| he continued the practice alone until
1882, when he was appointed United
! States district attorney by President
! Arthur. At this time he associated
himself with his brother, f. E. Searle,
now the president of the German
| American National bank of st. Cloud.
This partnership continued until the
| spring of 1886, when G. l.. Lamb,
| formerly student in his
office, took the place of F. f. Searle in
| the firm. This firm was continued until
| Oct. l last. when George W. Stewart
succeeded Mr.. Lamb. and the practice
| continued under the firm name of Searie
| 81 Stewart. Mr.. Searle held the posi-
! ton of United States district attorney
from April, 1882. down to December,
1885, when he resigned. Mr.. Searle has
always been very popular in Stearns
| county and was elected county attorney
by large majority when the county
was overwhelmingly Democratic. Be
| sides these Offices he was city attorney
of st. Cloud for six years, and is, now
| the president of the Young Mems Re:
| publican club of Minnesota. " <